Closure plug means



May 19, 1964 J. HENCHERT 3,133,666 CLOSURE PLUG mus Filed Jan. 1'7, 1962 mvmon JoHu HEUCHEZT United States Patent 3,133,666 CLGSURE PLUG MEANS John Henchert, Morton Grove, Ill., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc, New York, NY a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 166,776 14 Claims. (Cl. 226-459) The invention relates generally to closures and seeks to provide a novel form of closure plug mountable in a venting opening, or in a pouring or filling opening formed in a container wall, such as a top or bottom wall, or even a side wall, and which is not only elfective to provide an efficient seal under normal conditions, but also to accentuate that seal and make it even more elficient as internal pressures develop within the container on which the closure is mounted.

Known closure plugs have ben found deficient in that they are subject to displacement or leakage as a result of pressure thereon exerted from the interior of the container. These pressures may be in the form of gaseous pressures developed in liquid or other fills, or they may develop from mere dropping of containers having liquid fill therein. An object of the invention is to provide a readily mountable closure plug which provides an effective seal in the mounting opening in the container and which is deformable by action of pressure imposed thereon from the interior of the container to increase its sealing pressure contact in the container opening and thereby increase its sealing efficiency proportionally to the degree of rise in the exerted internal pressure.

In its more detailed nature the invention resides in the provision of a closure plug formed of a deformable and resilient material, such as polyethylene or another plastic having similar characteristics, said plug having a body insertable into a receiving opening in a container to be sealed thereby, and including a closure portion for traversing and closing said opening and which is inwardly convexed so that pressures acting from within a sealed container and tending to displace the plug will deform or flex said closure portion outwardly in a manner for increasing the perimeter thereof and accentuating its sealing engagement in the container opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure plug of the character stated wherein are included ribbing means serving to reinforce the closure body and control the deformability thereof, and also to provide pressure areas against which pressure applying devices can be engaged in effecting a mounting of the closure in a container opening to be sealed thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure plug of the character stated in which there is included a peripheral groove surrounding the periphery of the inwardly convexed closure portion in position for receiving and effecting a seal against the plug receiving opening defining wall portion of a container, there also being included a lead-in skirt portion receivable through said opening, and a tapered portion disposed between said skirt and said groove.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure of the character stated wherein there is included a pryotl' flange projecting outwardly beyond the container opening defining wall receiving groove to be readily engageable by a pry-off device in the removal of the plug from its opening sealing mounting.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a closure plug of the character stated wherein the lead-in skirt is equipped with outwardly extended bead means spaced from the tapered portion in a manner for cooperating therewith in retaining the plug in an intermediate assembly position, or condition of partial insertion in the receiving opening of a container wall.

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The invention still further resides in the combination of the particular form of closure in the receiving opening of a container Wall, and more particularly in such an opening defined by a neck portion presenting a large area seal contact surface conforming generally to the peripheral grooving in the closure plug.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an inverted plan view illustrating the improved sealing plug structure.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 22 on FIGURE 1 and showing the plug mounted in a container wall opening to be sealed thereby, the plug be ing shown partially in elevation.

FIGURE 3 is an inverted plan view showing a modified form of sealing plug structure.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 illustrating the modified plug structure shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary inverted plan view illustrating one of the outward protuberances on the intermediate assembly securing bead of the plug structure of FIGURES 3 and 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary radial section showing the modified plug structure of FIGURE 4 in an intermediate assembly position.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged radial sectional view illustrating another modification of the plug structure.

In the practical development of the invention, the improved closure structure generally designated 5 preferably is molded from polyethylene to include a closure body portion 6 for traversing and closing a container opening to be sealed thereby. It will be apparent by reference to FIGURE 2 that the closure portion 6 is shaped to present an inwardly convexed portion 7 and an outwardly concaved portion 8. It will also be apparent that the convexed portion 7 is disposed inwardly of the plane of the opening which is to be sealed by the closure plug. The reason for this particular placement of the convexity of the closure portion of the plug will become apparent as this description progresses.

The closure plug preferably is peripherally grooved at 9 to provide an outwardly projecting stop flange Ill, an outwardly projecting seal rib 11 and an intermediate sealing Wall 12. The intermediate sealing wall 12. generally conforms in shape to the mounting opening defining neck or wall portion 13 of the container wall 14 in which said opening is formed, and in this example disclosure, the neck is outwardly turned, or projected externally of the container, and terminates upwardly in an outwardly turned and smoothly rounded portion or curl 15. It is to be understood that the opening in which the plug is mounted and which is sealed by the plug may be an openingin a top wall, a bottom wall or a side wall of a container.

The upwardly presented concaved face 8 of the closure portion 6 is provided with cross ribs 16 which reinforce the concavo-convex closure portion 6, 7, 8 and control the resistance to outward deformation or deflection of said concavo-convex portion. The ribs 17 also are placed to provide pressure areas against which mounting pressure may be applied by mounting devices during the insertion of the sealing plug structure in a container opening.

Beneath the rib 11, the plug is provided with a depending tapered portion 18 which merges into a cylindrical lead-in dependage or skirt 19.

It will be noted that the external diameter of the skirt 19 is slightly less than the internal diameter of the container neck 13 and thus can be readily inserted into the neck to present the taper portion 18 in contact with the well rounded, outwardly directed portion 15 of the neck. Then by application of downward pressure against the pressure receiving areas on the rib means 17 by any suitable mounting means or device, the plug can be forced into the sealing position illustrated in FIGURE 2. By reason of the convexity of the plug at 7 inwardly of the plane in which the mounting opening is defined by the container neck 13, pressures developed in any manner within the container and acting upon the convex surface 7 will tend to deform the same outwardly, or in a direction tending to flatten the same, thereby causing a pcripheral enlargement of the cross portion 16 and causing an accentuation of the sealing contact within the container neck 13. Thus the outwardly acting pressures increase the sealing efliciency of the closure plug proportionately to the degree of rise in the exerted internal pressure.

In the modified form of the closure plug shown in FlG- URES 3 to 6 the plug is constructed in the manner previously described but is equipped at the lower extremity of the skirt 19 with a rib projection 2 h. The rib projection includes a plurality, four being shown in this example disclosure, of circumferentially spaced protuberances 21. It will be observed by reference to FIGURE 6 that the rib 29 is so spaced beneath the tapered portion of the plug as to cooperate with said tapered portion in forming a grooveway to receive the container neck when the plug is inserted in an intermediate assembly position, or partial insertion, as shown in FIGURE In this form of the invention, the intermediate assembly will be temporarily secured by engagement of the tapered portion of the plug above the container neck, and the skirt beading 2t), 21 below said neck. Then when it is desired to complete the assembly and eflect the desired sealin of the container, downward pressure on the ribbed portion of the plug in the manner previously described will serve to fully insert the plug in the condition illustrated in FIGURE 4.

Another slight modification of the plug structure is shown in FIGURE 7. In this modification, the plug is provided with a radially outwardly projecting flange 22 which extends outwardly beyond the container neck and provides a space beneath said flange and above the container wall into which a pry-off device may be inserted and manipulated for removing the plug from its mounting.

While specific examples of part arrangements embodying the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, it is to be understood that variations in part structures and arrangements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the ap pended claims.

I claim:

1. A closure plug rcmovably mountable in a wall opening of a container for sealin the same, the wall opening being defined by an annular flange projecting outwardly from the wall, and said closure plug comprising a plug of deformable resilient material and shaped at its periphery to snugly engage in and seal said opening, said plug including a closure portion placed for traversing the flange to be sealed generally in the plane of said opening, said closure portion being convexed inwardly of said plane so that when the plug is mounted in and sealing a container wall opening pressures acting from within the sealed container and tending to displace the plug will tend to deform the closure portion by flattening its convexity and increase the perimeter of the plug in said plane thereby to accentuate the sealing engagement of the plug in the opening in which it is mounted.

2. A closure plug as defined in claim 1 wherein the closure portion is concave-convex in sha, e and reinforcing ribbing is provided on the concave surface of said closure portion in position for controlling the deformability of the inwardly directed convex surface and also for providing pressure applying areas against which plug seating devices may be applied during the mounting of the plug in a receiving opening of a container wall.

3. A closure plug as defined in claim 1 wherein there is included an outwardly opening peripheral groove surrounding the periphery of the inwardly convexed closure portion in position for receiving and effecting a seal against said flange.

4. A closure plug as defined in claim 2 wherein there is included an outwardly opening peripheral groove surrounding the periphery of the inwardly convexed closure portion in position for receiving and effecting a seal against said flange.

5. A closure plug as defined in claim 1 wherein there is included an outwardly opening peripheral groove surrounding the periphery of the in 'ardly convexed closure portion in position for receiving and efiecting a seal against said flange, there also being included a lead-in skirt portion freely receivable through said opening, and an intermediate tapered portion disposed between said skirt and said groove.

6. A closure plug as defined in claim 2 wherein there is included an outwardly opening peripheral groove surrounding the periphery of the inwardly convexed closure portion in position for receiving and effecting a seal against said flange, there also being included a lead-in skirt portion freely receivable through said opening, and an intermediate tapered portion disposed between said skirt and said groove.

7. A closure plug as defined in claim 1 wherein the plug includes an outwardly projecting flange placed thereon to assume a position seated on said wall flange, extending outwardly of said wall flange and spaced above the container wall when the plug is mounted in and sealing the opening, thereby to permit insertion of a pry-off device between said plug flange and wall portion.

8. A closure plug as defined in claim 5 wherein the plug includes an outwardly projecting flange placed thereon to assume a position seated on said wall flange, extending outwardly of said wall flange and spaced above the container wall when the plug is mounted in and sealing the opening, thereby to permit insertion of a pry-off device between said plug flange and wall portion.

9. A closure plug as defined in claim 6 wherein there is also included an outwardly extended bead means on the lead-in skirt and spaced from the tapered portion in position 'for cooperating therewith in retaining the plug in an intermediate assembly position of part-way insertion in the plug receiving opening with said lead-in-skirt engaging said wall flange.

10. A closure plug as defined in claim 6 wherein there is also included an outwardly extended bead means on the lead-in skirt and spaced from the tapered portion in position for cooperating therewith in retaining the plug in an intermediate assembly position of part-way insertion in the plug receiving opening with said lead-in-skirt engaging said wall flange, said head means having thereon circumferentially spaced protuberances effective to add resistance to removal of the plug from its intermediate assembly position without making said resistance objectionably excessive.

11. The combination of the plug structure defined in claim 3 wherein said flange is a portion of a curled neck presenting a large area seal contact surface conforming generally to the peripheral grooving in the closure plug.

12. The combination of the plug structure defined in claim 6 wherein said flange is a portion of a curled neck presenting a large area seal contact surface conforming generally to the peripheral grooving in the closure plug.

13. The combination of the plug structure defined in claim 3 wherein said flange is a portion of a curled neck presenting a large area seal contact surface conforming enerally to the peripheral grooving in the closure plug, the plug also including an outwardly projecting flange overlying and extending outwardly of the container wall neck and spaced above said container Wall, thereby to permit insertion of a pry-off device between the plug flange and an underlying portion of the container wall.

14. A container construction comprising a container wall having an opening therein defined by an outwardly curled neck, and a closure plug seated in said opening and sealing the same, said closure plug being formed of a resilient deformable plastic material and including a closure portion and a depending skirt, said closure portion being inwardly dished, a neck receiving annular groove in said plug in the general plane of the periphery of said closure whereby said closure portion projects inwardly of the plane of said neck so that internal pressures within the container and tending to displace said closure plug will tend to deform said closure portion by flattening its convexity and increase the perimeter of said plug in said plane thereby to accentuate the sealing engagement of said container wall neck in said plug groove, said closure portion having a concaved upper surface and radiating ribbing on the concave surface of said closure portion in position for controlling the deformability of the inwardly directed convex surface and also for providing pressure applying areas against which a plug seating device may be applied during the mounting of the plug in said opening, said closure portion terminating in an upper outwardly directed flange overlying and extending outwardly of said neck and spaced above said container wall whereby a pry-0E device may be inserted between said flange and said Wall, said skirt including an intermediately disposed inwardly tapered portion and a lead-in portion, said leadin portion being straight and freely slideable in said neck, a radially outwardly extending head on said lead-in portion at the inner end thereof for cooperation with said tapered portion to retain said plug in an intermediate assembly position of part way insertion within said opening, said head having thereon circumferentially spaced protuberances effective to add resistance to removal of said plug from its assembly position to increase the resistance to removal of said plug from its intermediate assembly position without making the resistance to removal objectionahly excessive, said lead-in portion being of a length to receive said neck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,688,995 Wagoner Sept. 14, 1954 2,913,140 Vuillemenot Nov. 17, 1959 2,984,381 Bennett May 16, 1961 3,021,976 Tracy Feb. 20, 1962 

1. A CLOSURE PLUG REMOVABLY MOUNTABLE IN A WALL OPENING OF A CONTAINER FOR SEALING THE SAME, THE WALL OPENING BEING DEFINED BY AN ANNULAR FLANGE PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE WALL, AND SAID CLOSURE PLUG COMPRISING A PLUG OF DEFORMABLE RESILIENT MATERIAL AND SHAPED AT ITS PERIPHERY TO SNUGLY ENGAGE IN AND SEAL SAID OPENING, SAID PLUG INCLUDING A CLOSURE PORTION PLACED FOR TRAVERSING THE FLANGE TO BE SEALED GENERALLY IN THE PLANE OF SAID OPENING, SAID CLOSURE PORTION BEING CONVEXED INWARDLY OF SAID PLANE SO THAT WHEN THE PLUG IS MOUNTED IN AND SEALING A CONTAINER WALL OPENING PRESSURES ACTING FROM WITHIN THE SEALED CONTAINER AND TENDING TO DISPLACE THE PLUG WILL TEND TO DEFORM THE CLOSURE PORTION BY FLATTENING ITS CONVEXITY AND INCREASE THE PERIMETER OF THE PLUG IN SAID PLANE THEREBY TO ACCENTUATE THE SEALING ENGAGEMENT OF THE PLUG IN THE OPENING IN WHICH IT IS MOUNTED. 